Of the early favourites for this year’s race, just two of the five match the average winning age (Total Recall and Blaklion) and fourth favourite Tiger Roll is the closest to the ideal handicap with a weight of 10st 12lbs.

Other lucky characteristics punters might look out for include the starting price.

Horses with odds around 19/1 perform best and 10-year-old Cause of Causes is the only horse in this year’s line-up currently rated at a similar 20/1, although prices will fluctuate in the build-up to Aintree.

Just 23 outright favourites have gone on to win, with a further six joint-favourites taking home the prize over the last 170 races.

The findings also show that successful horses often have a jockey called John or Tommy – both names have won 11 times each.

Riders called George and Arthur have claimed eight and seven wins respectively.

Sticking with lucky names, more winning horses have had a trainer called Tom (11) than anyone else, and George is another popular trainer first name (eight wins).

Saint Are – currently rated at 50/1 – is the only horse trained by a Tom in this year’s line-up, and ironically his last name is George.

There have also been 17 winning racehorse owners called John – 12 more than the next most successful name (Noel, five times).

Just seven horses have won the Grand National on more than one occasion and only one (Red Rum) has crossed the finishing line first at Aintree on three separate occasions (in 1973, 1974 and 1977).